Portable mortar and concrete mixer and elevator



PORTABLE MORTAR AND CONCRETE MIXER AND ELEVATOR Filed March 10, 1955 R. M. BOLT Dec. 3, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 jNvE r ToR. 3499 N mm $1 5 A'rruRNYs R. M. BOLT Dec. 3, 1957 PORTABLE MORTAR AND CONCRETE MIXER AND ELEVATOR Filed March 10, 1955 4 Shets-Sheet 2 ATTURN EYE mx ufi 5 hm Rh MR MK 8N R R N mm ww m PORTABLE MORTAR AND CONCRETE MIXER- AND ELEVATOR Filed March .10, 1955 R. M. BOLT Dec. 3, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 y INVENTbR. @9259 B 0 if,

R. M. BOLT Dec. 3, 1957 PORTABLE MORTAR AND CONCRETE MIXER AND ELEVATOR Filed March 10, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 UI 1 I33 INVENTOR. fi ygz/izfiolij ATTORNEYS Unite PORTABLE MORTAR AND CONCRETE MIXER AND ELEVATOR This invention relates to concrete and mortar mixers of the portable type and also of the type adapted to be mounted on and operated by a tractor, and in particular, a bucket carried by arms pivotally mounted on a tractor and positioned with the bucket extended forwardly of the tractor, with rightand left-hand mixing screws in the bucket and with a gate adjustably mounted on the bucket, and a plurality of hydraulic cylinders or jacks respectively connected to the parts for elevating the bucket and also for adjusting the positions of the bucket and gate slidably mounted thereon.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a bucket having screw mixing elements therein in which the bucket is adapted to be mounted on a tractor so that sand, gravel, cement and other materials may be picked up and mixed thereby and wherein the mixed material may be carried to and deposited on a mortar board or deposited in forms by a single operator.

Various types of concrete mixers have been provided, however, it is necessary to elevate and deposit materials into drums of the mixers and with conventional mixers it is difficult to deposit the material directly upon mortar boards or in forms so that it is necessary to carry the mixed material with wheelbarrows and the like to points of destination. With this thought in mind, this invention contemplates an attachment for mounting a bucket at the forward end of a tractor with mixing elements in the bucket and with the bucket adapted to be actuated by hydraulic cylinders or the like in combination with a tractor upon which the device is mounted whereby the bucket is adapted to pick up and measure materials and wherein materials mixed therein may be deposited directly into forms or on a mortar board so that conveying elements for carrying the mixed material from a mixer to a form or the like are not required.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a concrete or mortar mixer that is adapted to be mounted on and actuated by a tractor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tractor actuated mixer for mortar, concrete, and the like, in which substantially all material in the housing of the mixer is worked into the mass.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a concrete and mortar mixer in the form of a bucket adapted to be attached to a tractor in which the entire mass of the material is subject to the mixing elements so that all material in the bucket is forced into the final product.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pivotally mounted bucket having a mixing chamber with mixers therein, and having a trough with material receivingand measuring means extended from the mixing chamber, and in which the bucket and parts thereof are pivotally mounted in arms adapted to be mounted on a tractor and actuated by hydraulic jacks or cylinders adapted to be operatively connected to the tractor.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a bucket having concrete and mortar mixing means in- 'ice corporated therein in which the bucket is adapted to be mounted on a tractor and actuated by hydraulic cylinders supplied with fluid under pressure from the tractor in which the device is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, the invention embodies a bucket having a substantially cylindrical mixing chamber with a trough extended from one side, a transversely disposed gate slidably mounted on sides of the bucket, hydraulic cylinders for raising and lowering the gate and also for sliding the gate longitudinally of the bucket, arms pivotally mounted on the bucket and adapted to be pivotally mounted on a tractor, rightand left-hand screws with openings through vanes thereof rotatably mounted in the cylindrical chamber of the bucket, hydraulic cylinders attached to the arms and bucket for adjusting the position of the bucket, hydraulic cylinders connected to the tractor and arms for elevating the bucket, and power means for actuating the mixing screws from power take-0E means or fluid pressure means of the tractor upon which the device is mounted.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description, taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a tractor showing the concrete and mortar mixing attachment of this invention mounted on the tractor and showing the parts with the bucket in a lower position.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the concrete and mortar mixing attachment with the parts as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the bucket showing the bucket in the position of picking up a full load.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section similar to that shown in Figure 3 showing the gate actuated to level off the load of material in the trough of the bucket.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the mixing bucket with the parts in the positions as shown in Figure 4 and with parts broken away.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through the bucket, similar to that shown in Figure 3, showing the position of the gate for measuring a portion, such as one-half of a load, in the trough of the bucket.

Figure 7 is a view showing a sectional plan through the bucket, said section being taken on line 7-7 of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a cross section through the forward part of the bucket taken on line 8-8 of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a view illustrating a substantially U-shaped frame for adjustably mounting the gate on the bucket, parts of the frame being broken away and parts shown in section.

Figure 10 is a side elevational view, somewhat similar to that shown in Figure 1, showing the bucket and forward portion of a tractor with part of the bucket broken away and with parts thereof shown in section.

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a battery of control valves for actuating the hydraulic jacks or cylinders, one of said valves being connected to ends of a cylinder.

Figure 12 is a side elevational view of the bucket and forward portion of a tractor illustrating a modification wherein the mixing screw of the bucket is rotated by an independent motor, such as an air or hydraulic motor.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, the mortar and concrete mixing device of this invention includes a bucket having a base 10 with side walls 8 and 9 providing a U or channel-shaped hopper or trough extended from the bucket, a cylindrical mixing chamber 11 positioned at one end of the trough, a right-hand screw 12 positioned in one end of the mixing chamber, a left-hand screw .13

positioned in the opposite end of the mixing chamber, a gate 14 slidably mounted in a U-shaped frame having vertically disposed legs 15 and 16 connected at their upper ends with a cross bar 17, a superstructure adapted to be mounted on a tractor, arms 18 and 19 pivotally mounted on vertically disposed struts 20, of the superstructure and pivotally connected to a shaft 21 on which the screws 12 and 13 are positioned, hydraulic cylinders 22 and 23 for actuating the arms 18 and 19, hydraulic cylinders 24 and 25 for adjusting the position of the bucket, hydraulic cylinders 26 and 27 for adjusting the position of the gate 14 on the bucket, and hydraulic cylinder 28 for raising and lowering the gate.

The vertically disposed struts 20 extend upwardly from side bars 29 of a frame adapted to be positioned on a tractor, as indicated by the numeral 30, and the forward ends of the bars, which are adapted to be secured by bolts, or the like, to the tractor housing, are provided with struts 31 and the struts 31 are provided with diagonal braces 32.

The arms 18 and 19 are pivotally mounted on a shaft 33 extended through bifurcated ends 34 at the upper ends of the struts 20. The opposite ends of the arms 18 and 19 are pivotally mounted on ends of the shaft 21 on which the rightand left-hand screws 12 and 13 are positioned.

The convolutions of the vane 12 are provided with openings 35 and similar openings, as indicated by the numeral 36, are provided in the vane of the screw 13.

With the vanes of the screws 12 and 13 oppositely positioned and rotating in a counter-clockwise direction, material in the mixing chamber or hopper 11 is worked toward the center continuously whereby all material in the hopper or cylinder is worked into the mass. The peripheral edges of the screws or vanes are spaced slightly from the inner surface of the cylindrical chamber or hopper 11 and with the shaft rotated in a counter-clockwise direction from a power take-off 37 of the tractor 30 the screws are directly rotated by the tractor.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the power take-off 37 of the tractor is provided with a beveled gear 38 that meshes with a similar gear 39 on a shaft 40 and a sprocket 41 on the opposite end of the shaft is positioned to receive a chain 42 trained over a sprocket 43 on a shaft 44. The shaft 44 is rotatably mounted in brackets 45 extended upwardly from the tractor housing and a transmission sprocket 46 on the shaft 44 is positioned to receive a chain 47 that is trained over a sprocket 48 on the shaft 33 rotatably mounted in the struts 20 and on which the arms 18 and 19 are pivotally mounted. The shaft 33 is provided with another sprocket, as indicated by the numeral 49, and a chain 50 trained over the sprocket 49 and also over a sprocket 51 on the shaft 21 which extends through the bucket and on which the screws 12 and 13 are positioned whereby the screws are rotated, preferably in a counter-clockwise direction by the combination of the chains 42, 47 and 50 and the sprockets upon which the chains are mounted.

The lower ends of the hydraulic cylinders 22 and 23 are pivotally connected with bolts 52 to the side bars 29 of the frame on the tractor and the ends of piston rods 53 extended from opposite ends of the cylinders are pivotally connected with bolts 54 to the arms 18 and 19. By this means fluid under pressure supplied to the cylinders 22 and 23 through connections 55 at the lower ends drives pistons in the cylinders and the piston rods outwardly with the arms 18 and 19 moving upwardly to positions shown in Figure 10. With fluid under pressure supplied to connections 56 at the opposite ends of the cylinders, the bucket with the arms 18 and 19 is moved downwardly.

The cylinders 24 and 25, which control the position of the bucket, are pivotally mounted by bolts 57 to the arms 18 and 19 and piston rods 58 extended from opposite ends thereof are pivotally connected with bolts 59 to side walls of the bucket. Fluid supplied through connections 60 on the lower ends of the cylinders 24 and 25 carries pistons in the cylinders upwardly thereby retracting or turning the bucket to a substantially vertical position in the frame. Fluid under pressure supplied to the cylinders 24 and 25 through connections 61 forces the pistons and piston rods downwardly moving scraping edge 62 toward the ground.

The bucket is provided with side walls 63 and 64 and, particularly as illustrated in Figure 8, spaced horizontally disposed parallel bars 65 are mounted on the outer surface of the wall 63 and similar bars 66 are mounted on the outer surface of the wall 64 and, as illustrated in Figure 9, blocks 67 and 68 positioned on the lower ends of the legs 15 and 16 are provided with spaced horizontally disposed parallel grooves or slots 69 which are adapted to receive the bars 65 and 66.

The vertically disposed legs 15 and 16 of the gate supporting frame are provided with vertically disposed slots 70 in which upper portions of the side walls 63 and 64 of the bucket are positioned and the inner surfaces of the legs 15 and 16 are provided with slots 71 in which edges of the gate 14 are positioned. The cross bar 17 at the upper end of the frame is provided with a tongue 72 that is positioned to engage the upper edge of the gate 14 to provide a stop therefor and the upper surface of the cross bar is provided with spaced openings 73 to facilitate bolting the cylinder 28 to the cross bar. The lower portions of the vertically disposed legs 15 and 16 are provided with tabs 74 which, in combination with flanges 75 and 76, provide means for mounting the hydraulic cylinders 26 and 27 on the bucket. Piston rods 77 and 78 extended from the cylinders 26 and 27 are connected to the tabs or plates 74 with nuts 79 threaded on ends of the piston rods.

The cylinder 28 is mounted in the under portion of the cross bar 17 and a piston rod 80 thereof is connected to a lug 81 on the lower portion of the door 14. By supplying fluid under pressure to a connection 82 at the upper end of the cylinder 28, the gate 14 is moved downwardly and by supplying fluid under pressure to a connection 83 in the lower portion of the cylinder 28 the gate 14 is moved upwardly permitting free passage of materials through the trough or scoop of the bucket.

The cylinder 26 is mounted in a bracket 84 on one side of the side plate 63 of the bucket, and the cylinder 27, on the opposite side, is secured by a bracket 85 to the side wall 64 of the bucket.

The cylinders 26 and 27, for adjusting the position of the gate 14 on the trough of the bucket, are provided with connections 86, at one end, through which fluid is admitted for driving the inverted U-shaped frame and gate toward the outer end of the bucket and connections 87 for drawing the frame and gate toward the mixing chamber 11 of the bucket.

As illustrated, particularly in Figure 6, the intermediate part of the bucket is provided with a screed 88 which retains material in combination with the screws and the side plates 63 and 64 of the bucket are provided with upwardly disposed extensions 89 and 90, the upper ends of which are connected with a cross section 91.

It will be understood that fluid may be supplied to and returned from the cylinders by suitable control or valves and in Figure 11 a valve 92 connected to a pressure line 93 of a pump in a tractor as indicated by the numeral 94 is connected by tubes 95 and 96 to one of the ends of the cylinders 22 and 23 and by tubes 97 and 98 to opposite ends of the cylinders. The valve 92 is also connected to a return header 99. A valve 100 is connected by a tube 101 to one of the ends of the cylinders 26 and 27 for adjusting the position of the bucket and by a tube 102 to the opposite ends of the cylinders. A valve 103 is connected by a tube 104 to the connection 82 at one end of the gate control cylinder 28, and by a tube 105 to the connection 83 at the opposite end of thecylinder. One of the ends of the cylinders 24 and 25 are connected by a tube 106 to one side of a valve 107 and the opposite ends of the cylinders are connected by a tube 108 to the return side of the valve. By this means an operator in the seat of a tractor can control the positions of the parts whereby the bucket is adapted to pick up a load of material, carry the material upwardly to the position shown in Figure and, by rotating the screws 12 and 13, thoroughly mix the material.- With this combination of valves and cylinders, the operator may pick up any suitable load desired and may mix and deposit the load from the seat of the tractor.

In the design illustrated in Figure 12, the mixing screws of the bucket, indicated by the numeral 109, are rotated by a fluid pressure motor 110 having supply and return connections 111 and 112 and the motor is adapted to be positioned on an arm 113, similar to one of the arms 18 or 19. The motor 110 is provided with a sprocket 114 and a chain 115 is trained over the sprocket 114 and also over a sprocket 116 on a shaft 117, similar to the shaft 21 and on which rightand left-hand screws, such as the screws 12 and 13, are positioned. In this design the position of the gate is adjusted by cylinders 118, similar to the cylinders 26 and 27. It will be understood that the motor 110 may be driven by air, oil under pressure, or other suitable means.

With the parts designed and assembled as disclosed and described, the gate 14 is set to provide a full load, one-half of a load, or any suitable amount of material and with the trough of the bucket driven into a mixture of sand, gravel and cement, or the like, the space beyond the gate, such as illustrated in Figures 3 and 6, is filled with material and, with the material in the extended end of the trough the bucket is elevated and tilted to the position shown in Figure 10 whereby upon rotating the rightand left-hand screws the material is thoroughly mixed and by adding water to the mixture a batch of mortar or concrete is obtained. With this mixture in the bucket, the tractor is driven to a suitable location at which point the bucket is actuated by the cylinders 24 and 25 to deposit the material upon a mortar board or in forms or in a wheel barrow or the like. With the screws working the material toward the center continuously, the materials are throughly mixed and the materials may be conveyed from one position to another during the mixing process.

The gate 14 may be manipulated to provide any suitable mixture desired and by tilting the extended end of the bucket upwardly the products slide into the mixing chamber.

It will be understood that the mixing bucket of this invention may be used for other purposes.

It will also be understood that modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a portable mixer, the combination which com-' prises a bucket 'having a cylindrical mixing chamber and a scoop extended from said mixing chamber, a transversely disposed vertically positioned gate mounted in the scoop and spaced from the bucket, means for raising and lowering the gate, means for adjusting the gate longitudinally of the scoop for measuring materials in the scoop arms pivotally connected to sides of the bucket and adapted to be pivotally mounted on a tractor, means for actuating the arms to elevate the bucket, oppositely disposed rightand left-hand screws positioned in the mixing chamber of the bucket, the outside diameter of the screws being slightly less than the inside diameter of the cylindrical mixing chamber of the bucket means for driving the screws and means for adjusting the position of the bucket in relation to said arms.

2. In a portable mortar and concrete mixer, the combination which comprises a bucket having a cylindrical mixing chamber and a trough extended from said mixing chamber, oppositely disposed rightand left-hand screws positioned in said cylindrical mixing chamber, the outside diameter of the screws being slightly less than the inside diameter of the cylindrical mixing chamber of the bucket a gate adapted to be positioned in said trough, means for adjusting the position of the gate longitudinally of the trough, means for raising and lowering the gate, mounting arm pivotally connected to the bucket and adapted to be pivotally mounted on a tractor, hydraulic cylinders pivotally connected to the mounting arms and adapted to be pivotally mounted on a tractor upon which the arms are mounted, hydraulic cylinders connected to said mounting arms and having piston rods extended therefrom and pivotally connected to said bucket for adjusting the position of the bucket in relation to the mounting arms, and means for rotating the screws by the power take-off of a tractor upon which the mounting arms are positioned.

3. In a portable mortar and concrete mixer, the combination which comprises a bucket having a cylindrical mixing chamber and a scoop extended from said mixing chamber, oppositely disposed rightand left-hand screws positioned in said cylindrical mixing chamber, a gate adapted to be positioned in said scoop, hydraulic jacks for adjusting the position of the gate longitudinally of the scoop, hydraulic jacks for raising and lowering the gate, mounting arms pivotally connected to the bucket and adapted to be pivotally mounted on a tractor, hydraulic cylinders pivotally connected to the mounting arms and adapted to be pivotally mounted on a tractor upon which the arms are mounted, hydraulic cylinders connected to said mounting arms and having piston rods extended therefrom and pivotally connected to said bucket for adjusting the position of the bucket in relation to the mounting arms, and means for rotating the screws by the power take-off of a tractor upon which the mounting arms are positioned.

4. In a portable mortar and concrete mixer, the combination which comprises a bucket having a cylindrical mixing chamber and a trough extended from said mixing chamber, oppositely disposed rightand left-hand screws positioned in said cylindrical mixing chamber, a gate positioned in said trough, hydraulic jacks for adjusting the position of the gate longitudinally of the trough, to measure the amount of material in the trough hydraulic jacks for raising and lowering the gate, mounting arms pivotally connected to the bucket and adapted to be pivotally mounted on a tractor, hydraulic cylinders pivotally connected to the mounting arms and adapted to be pivotally mounted on a tractor upon which the arms are mounted, hydraulic cylinders connected to said mounting arms and having piston rods extended therefrom and pivotally connected to said bucket for adjusting the position of the bucket in relation to the mounting arms, and means for rotating said screws.

5. In a portable mortar and concrete mixer, the combination which comprises a bucket having a cylindrical mixing chamber and a trough extended from said mixing chamber, oppositely disposed rightand left-hand screws having spiral vanes thereon positioned in said cylindrical mixing chamber, said vanes of the screws having spaced openings therethrough, a gate adapted to be positioned in said trough, means for adjusting the position of the gate longitudinally of the trough, means for raising and lowering the gate, mounting arms pivotally connected to the bucket and adapted to be pivotally mounted on a tractor, hydraulic cylinders pivotally connected to the mounting arms and adapted to be pivotally mounted on a tractor upon which the arms are mounted, hydraulic cylinders connected to said mounting arms and having piston rods extended therefrom and pivotally connected to said bucket for adjusting the position of the bucket in relation to the mounting arms, and means for rotating the screws by the power take-off of a tractor upon which the mounting arms are positioned.

6. In a portable mixer, the combination which comprises a bucket having a cylindrical mixing chamber and a trough extended from said mixing chamber, a vertically positioned transversely disposed gate extended across the trough, means for raising and lowering the gate to permit passage of materials through the trough, means for adjusting the position of the gate longitudinally of the trough to measure materials positioned in the trough, arms pivotally connected to sides of the bucket and adapted to be pivotally mounted on a tractor, means for actuating the arms to elevate the bucket, oppositely disposed rightand left-hand screws having spiral vanes thereon positioned in said mixing chamber, said vanes of the screws having spaced openings therethrough, and means for actuating the screws by the power take-off of a tractor upon which the arms are mounted.

7. In a portable mortar and concrete mixer, the combination which comprises a tractor having a chassis mounted on wheels and having a power take-off, vertically disposed struts extended upwardly from the chassis of the tractor, a transversely disposed shaft rotatably mounted in said struts, arms pivotally mounted on the shaft and extended forwardly of the tractor, hydraulic jacks connecting the arms to the tractor for actuating the arms, a cylindrical bucket pivotally mounted in extended ends of the arms, a hopper having a base and side walls extended forwardly from the bucket, hydraulic jacks connecting the arms to the side walls of the hopper for adjusting the position of the bucket and hopper in relation to the arms, rotatable mixing elements mounted in the bucket, means for operating the mixing elements by the power take off of the tractor, a transversely disposed vertically positioned gate positioned in the hopper, means for adjusting the gate longitudinally of the hopper, and means for elevating and lowering the gate.

8. A mortar and concrete mixer, comprising in combination: a bucket having a mixing chamber therewithin; a mixing device within said mixing chamber for mixing the contents thereof; an open-ended, channel-shaped trough extending sidewardly from said bucket and communicating at one of its ends with said mixing chamber; a gate disposed transverse of and adjacent the open side of said trough, said gate being slidably receivable within said trough; means for moving said gate transverse of said trough into and out of a position blocking entry of materials into said trough; means for adjusting said gate longitudinally of the trough when it is out of blocking position whereby said gate may be moved longitudinally of said trough and then into blocking position to determine the amount of materials in the trough and thereby determine the amount of materials deposited in the mixing chamber; and means for elevating said bucket.

9. A portable mortar and concrete mixer, comprising in combination: a bucket having a cylindrical mixing chamber therewithin; a mixing device Within said mixing chamber for mixing the contents thereof; an open-ended, channel-shaped trough extending sidewardly from said bucket and communicating at one of its ends with said mixing chamber, the open side of said trough being the upper side thereof; a vehicle and lifting means connected to said vehicle and to said bucket for pivotally supporting said bucket and for lifting said bucket with respect to said vehicle; a vertically positioned gate mounted on said trough above the open side thereof and disposed transversely with respect thereto, said gate being vertically slidably receivable within said trough through the open side thereof; means for moving said gate upwardly and downwardly into and out of said trough; and means for moving said gate longitudinally of said trough whereby the amount of materials in the trough may be controlled by movement of said g'at e.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,030,250 Bly'stone June 18, 1912 2,705,134 Jerner Mar. 29, 1955 2,706,623 Styes Apr. 19, 1955 

